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Report in a Nutshell

Next Generation Networks (NGN) promises a high quality end-user experience. Telecom service providers expect the NGN framework to provide them with tools that would ensure customer loyalty. However, the path towards achieving the ideal NGN is fraught with formidable challenges. The most critical challenge confronting operators is optimizing their OSS and BSS platforms, systems, and processes.

The OSS/BSS vendor environment is extremely competitive with close to 400 vendors, mostly specialized in niches and having a strong services arm. Vendor categories include Comprehensive Solution Providing Pure OSS/BSS Vendors, Comprehensive Solution Providing Composite Vendors, Skill-set Extension Solution Providers and Core Strength Concentrators - BSS and OSS. The vendor landscape is characterized by extensive M&A activity.

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of drivers and issues related to technical and business aspects of OSS/BSS deployments and developments while forecasting their growth over the next five years.

Other Report Features

Technical Overview of OSS and BSS in NGNs: This section begins with an introduction to OSS and BSS and their roles in the operator environment. It explains the various blocks that go into building of the OSS: Network elements, events, alarms and others. It next explains the BSS building blocks: Billing, rating, mediation, charging, customer care and others. This section is followed by the description of prevalent industry approaches like TMN-FCAPS model that are widely followed by operators. The section then analyzes the technical impact of NGN on OSS and BSS architectures.

Vendor Analysis: Profiles of 35 vendors offering OSS/BSS products and services for next generation networks. This section first explains the basis of vendor selection including vendor classification, innovative contribution, market leadership position and future growth path. Each vendor is then analyzed in the light of its product and solution portfolio, major implementations, differentiating aspects with other vendors and their future plans. The report includes recommendations to vendors including diversification, best practices, market segment, and solution approach.

Operator Case Study - British Telecom (BT): This section evaluates BT’s OSS and BSS initiatives with respect to its three principle lines of business, vendors involved, platform, and current approach to implementation.

Quantitative Analysis and Forecast: This section begins with a detailed explanation of the research methodology. Quantitative analysis includes measurable items such as billing systems, network management systems and their sub-classes (mediation, wholesale billing, retail billing, CRM, revenue assurance, resource management, task management, delivery management, synchronization management) along with geographical segmentation, trends and projections. Importantly, the quantitative analysis assesses the impact of various drivers and issues on the above measurable items, thus forming a logical conclusion of the quantitative discussion in the previous sections.

Note: This section represents a comprehensive forecast including Forecast Methodology by Overall OSS and BSS Software Market, Split by OSS and by BSS separately, by geography (NA, EMEA, CALA, and APAC), and by modular break-up including: Network Planning and Engineering (NPE), Fault Management (FM), Performance Management (PM), Provisioning and Service Activation (PSA), Inventory Management (IM), Billing and Customer Care (B&CC), Mediation (MD), and Revenue Assurance (RA). The section also includes OSS/BSS Vendor Rakings Based on Net Profit Margins.

Target Audience

• Network operator managers tasked with making long-term architecture and support system decisions including vendor decisions
• Product management personnel concerned with the impact of OSS and BSS systems on next generation application and services rollout such as IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and technology and/or application frameworks or platforms
• Managers and directors tasked with OSS responsibilities and anyone who is involved in OSS/BSS decision making
• Vendors, suppliers, and service providers to network operators interested in their prospects for selling into the carrier marketplace
• Network and engineering personnel seeking specific information such as leading OSS/BSS approaches including OSS/J, OSA/Parlay, MDA, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). This publication has both business/market and technical information!

Key Questions Answered

• What are the telecom operator interests in NGN OSS/BSS?
• What are the challenges to OSS and BSS implementation?
• What are the best OSS and BSS approaches for NGN?
• What are the technologies involved in OSS and BSS?
• Who are the leading vendors for NGN OSS/BSS?
• What is the market forecast for OSS and BSS?

More on the Report

1. Introduction
   • Executive Summary
   • What is NGN?
   • History of NGN
   • Comparison of NGN with Public Switched Telephone Network and with Public Switched Data Network
   • Drivers of NGN
   • Telecom Operator and Vendor Interests
   • Improvement in Access Technologies
   • Reduced Vendor Dependency
   • Challenges for NGN
   • Large Scale Capital Expenditure
   • Operational Challenges
   • Integration of Multiple Private Networks and Application into the Larger Public Networks
   • Quality of Service (QoS)
   • National Security and Competitive Policies
2. Challenges for OSS and BSS in NGN
   • Functional Modules of OSS
   • Functional Modules of BSS
   • Challenges for OSS and BSS
   • OSS Challenges
   • Stakeholder Apprehensions
   • Framework to Integrate Customization Demands
   • Smooth Transition from Existing OSS Frameworks
   • Multi-vendor Coordination
   • BSS Challenges
   • SDP: The Shock Absorber
   • NGOSS: The Convergent Approach
   • Key NGOSS Terminology
   • eTOM
   • SID
   • TNA
   • NGOSS Compliance Tests
   • The NGOSS Lifecycle
   • Advantages of NGOSS
3. Approaches and Technologies
   • Fundamental Concepts
   • Middleware
   • Service Oriented Application Protocol (SOAP)
   • Web Services (WS)
   • Extensible Markup Language (XML)
   • OSS/BSS Frameworks
   • Telecommunication Management Network (TMN)
   • FCAPS
   • Messaging Formats
   • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
   • Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP)
   • Enterprise Data Organization Approaches
   • Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)
   • Enterprise Service Bus (ESB)
   • Leading OSS/BSS Approaches
   • OSS/J
   • OSAParlay
   • MDA
   • Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
   • Operator Case Study: British Telecom
4. Vendor Analysis
   • Vendor Landscape Observations
   • Vendor Classification
   • Comprehensive Solution Providing Pure OSS/BSS Vendors
   • Comprehensive Solution Providing Composite Vendors
   • Skill-set Extension Solution Providers
   • Core Strength Concentrators - BSS
   • Core Strength Concentrators - OSS
   • Vendor Summary
   • AdventNet Inc
   • Agilent Technologies Inc
   • Amdocs
   • CBOSS
   • Cerillion
   • Comarch
   • Comptel Corporation
   • Comverse
   • Evolving Systems Inc
   • Formula Telecom Solutions
   • Hewlett-Packard Company
   • IBM
   • Intec Telecom Systems
   • LHS
   • Metratech
   • MindCTI Ltd
   • Oracle
   • Redknee
   • Sobha Renaissance IT (SRIT)
   • Subex Azure Limited (SAL)
   • SYS Technologies (Formerly AI Metrix)
   • Telcordia Technologies Inc
   • Trendium
   • VPIsystems Inc
   • Xalted
   • Xius-BCGI
5. Quantitative Forecasts and Analysis
   • Forecast Methodology
   • Overall OSS and BSS Software Market
   • Overall Revenue Split Up
   • OSS Split-Up
   • BSS Split-Up
   • Geographical and Revenue Component-wise Distribution
   • Overall Geographical Distribution
   • Overall Revenue Component-wise Distribution
   • Modular Break-Up
   • Network Planning and Engineering (NPE)
   • Fault Management (FM)
   • Performance Management (PM)
   • Provisioning and Service Activation (PSA)
   • Inventory Management (IM)
   • Billing and Customer Care (B&CC)
   • Mediation (MD)
   • Revenue Assurance (RA)
   • OSS/BSS Vendor Rakings Based on Net Profit Margins
   • Conclusions
   • Recommendations

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